Will Smith fans are waiting longer and longer to see the actor’s return to movies.
Apple and Smith’s production company, Westbrook Studios, are pushing back the release of his action-drama “Emancipation” to 2023, Variety reported.
A source close to the situation told the publication “it’s the unspoken truth” that the film will not hit the streaming platform this year. It was originally slated to pop up on the film festival circuit this fall.
There’s already buzz around Smith’s performance in the unreleased flick, with an anonymous filmmaker who saw earlier footage telling Variety that “Will’s going to win back-to-back [Oscars].”
“Emancipation” would have been Smith’s first movie release since he slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars in March. He won his first-ever Academy Award that night for portraying Venus and Serena Williams’ father in “King Richard.”
The Post has reached out to Apple and Westbrook Inc. representatives for comment.
Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars.Getty Images A number of Smith’s projects have seemingly been affected by the Oscars incident. Netflix has allegedly canceled a sequel to the 53-year-old’s 2017 action flick “Bright,” according to a Bloomberg source. A separate Netflix film and a movie for Sony have also been put on hold.
However, Smith will appear on Season 4 of David Letterman’s Netflix talk show “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction.” The series drops on May 20, though Smith’s episode was filmed before the Oscars.
